Khalsa University mgmt looking for legal options to save it

There were mixed reactions to the Punjab cabinet decision to scrap the Khalsa University Act-2016.

Even as the Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) termed Capt government’s decision as unfortunate, the teachers’ union of the college celebrated the move and thanked the chief minister for saving the heritage status of the institute.

Top functionaries of the varsity said they are seeking legal opinion to ‘save’ the university, which has already registered more than 300 students in various classes from graduation-level to PhD since the government’s nod to the varsity in August 2016.

Khalsa University chancellor Satayjit Singh Majithia and pro-chancellor Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina in a joint statement said “vendetta politics is being played to kill the educational project”.

“There is not even an iota of truth in the argument that varsity hampers the heritage building. The college is functioning as an autonomous institution and university is housed in separate buildings,” said Majithia.

Chhina said it was happening for the first time that a government is scrapping the university for ‘political reasons’.

Office-bearers of the teachers’ union Narinder Deep Singh and JS Arora welcomed the decision of the Punjab government, adding now the identity and status of Khalsa College for Women and Khalsa College of Education will be saved as they were forcibly affiliated with the Khalsa University by the management.

Former KCGC honorary secretary Bhag Singh Ankhi, who had fought a battle to save the Khalsa College’s heritage status, said, “ Raje (Amarinder) da decision history ch likhya jayega (the decision of Captain is historic). I thank Captain for saving the 125-year-old Khalsa College from losing its heritage status.”